Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation Donor Report 2017 Donor Report 2017 | Page 16

Thank you to all the incredible volunteers
who support healthcare in our community
Teaching the importance of giving
back as a family
Volunteering as an
investment in community
and personal development
Supporting healthcare runs in the family
hospital, rather than the charities the
school had supported in the past.
“It was thanks to Mrs. Derrick who
opened her door, ears and heart to a
12-year old wondering and questioning
“why not, could we, what do you think”
that made it happen,” she said.
As a result of her initiative, Fern Hill School
made a five-year pledge in December
2014 to raise $100,000 in support of the
Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation.
ALEXANDRA TODD, LEFT, HAS A LONG HISTORY WITH JOSEPH BRANT HOSPITAL
Joseph Brant Hospital has been a part
of one-third of Alexandra Todd’s life, so
giving back to the hospital is something
she looks back on as inevitable. Her
father is a pharmacist, and her mother
is a physician who received her training
and started her career at JBH.
“For a period of time, JBH was at the
centre of many events for my family,”
she said. “As my mother was starting
her career, my grandfather was in
palliative care at the hospital, so even
when we would go for a walk by the
lake, the hospital was always close in
sight and thought.”
For Alexandra, hearing stories from her
parents about how rewarding and special
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Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation
certain experiences with the hospital
have been, and how kind the staff are,
as she’d spend time at the hospital
with her mother.
“I was able to wait for my mother on the
weekends in the pediatric ward, and it
was very uplifting to see so many smiling
faces of nu rses and parents with their
newborns,” said Alexandra. “Despite
my experiences with my grandfather, it
showed me that the hospital was not
always a place for sad news or illness.”
As a student at Fern Hill School, with its
own incredible history of fundraising,
Alexandra was inspired to approach the
Principal to suggest redirecting some of
the funds raised to their own community
Alexandra continues to volunteer with
the Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation,
and has recently been an active member
of the planning committee for the Join
the J community kick off in Spencer
Smith Park last October, and as a
participant on the Youth in Philanthropy
discussion panel last winter.
For Alexandra, supporting healthcare
goes back to the care her grandfather
received over six years ago.
“I always remember how kind the staff
are, going above and beyond for my
grandfather,” she said. “Not only the
excellent doctor, but also the angel nurse
who got him Yorkshire pudding
to stimulate his English appetite. She
was not just the nurse giving his
medication, but also the one attending
to his pain, suffering, and got to know
him as a person.”
AILEEN, ELLE, HUGO AND RICK BARRETO
For the Barreto family, having quality healthcare close to home has led to
their volunteering with the Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation.
“Unfortunately we have been faced with medical conditions that require
us to be monitored by various healthcare specialists. We have been
very fortunate that a lot of these healthcare providers are located in
Burlington, but not all,” said Aileen. “We live in an amazing city that
deserves a great hospital with all of these resources so we don’t need to
travel to other cities.”
Aileen and her husband Rick, along with their children Hugo and Elle
have been giving back since 2015, beginning with the CAAAR! 3 on 3
Road Hockey Tournament. And the key is the opportunity for the entire
family to get involved.
“It is important that our children learn that there are different ways
to help your community and that giving your time doesn’t cost you
anything except heart,” Aileen said. “We love that by volunteering with
the JBHF, our children feel a part of the new hospital.”
Rachel Alvarenga sees healthcare as essential for
quality of life, and volunteering with the Joseph
Brant Hospital Foundation as an honour. Since
November 2016, Rachel has been supporting
the events team at JBHF and has worked closely
on events including Trivia Night and Crystal Ball.
“I volunteer because it is a great opportunity to
learn and be part of my community,” she said.
“I feel like I am benefiting as much or more
than I’m helping, and I would recommend it to
anyone that is interested in personal growth or
just giving back to the community.”
For Rachel, supporting the JBH Foundation is an
investment in her community.
“The JBH Foundation raises funds to support
the critical needs of many areas including
mental health, palliative, maternal and child,”
said Rachel. “It is a significant force in making
a difference and bettering the lives of many
people on a daily basis and to be able to be a
modest part in this far-reaching process is very
rewarding and I am really proud of it.”
Donor Report 2016-2017
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